About the Incubator

Guildhall Creative Entrepreneurs is a 12-month part-time business- training programme which offers personalised teaching, mentoring and guidance to help you turn your creative idea into a sustainable, long-term enterprise. Our partnership with award-winning social enterprise Cause4 means we can offer a unique combination of artistic, professional and business expertise specific to the performing arts.

Over the course of the year, 50% of your time will be spent learning the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and developing your business plan within a small peer group of entrepreneurs. The other 50% will be entirely your own time to build your networks, raise investment and launch your enterprise!

By joining the Creative Entrepreneurs Scheme, you will receive access to:

Personalised training to help you develop your business plan, set up a company and gain access to funding & investment.

Mentoring & coaching with established entrepreneurs and arts sector leaders.

Office space in central London, saving you over £15K in office costs during the year.

Events featuring prominent figures from the entrepreneurial and creative sectors.

A community of fellow entrepreneurs on a similar journey.

Ongoing advice & support, for example with regards to commercial income generation.

Successful entrepreneurs can be expected to be running their creative businesses with sustainable sources of income within two years of completing the scheme.

Who is it for

Anyone wanting to set up or grow their own business in the performing arts. Performing artists across all relevant disciplines (actors, dancers, musicians, etc.) as well as individuals in the wider arts sector (producers, administrators, technicians, digital developers, etc.). So long as you want to create a business or social enterprise linked to the performing arts, this is for you.

Why Guildhall?

The Scheme is the only incubator in the UK dedicated specifically to the performing arts. As a world-leading conservatoire and drama school we possess the expertise to assess the feasibility of new creative ideas. Our association with the Barbican Centre, other leading cultural organisations and the wider UK creative industries means we can link our entrepreneurs into the right networks. Cause4 make a vital contribution in providing our entrepreneurs with essential business skills through one-to-one advice surgeries, while offering access to relevant business & investment networks.

Applications for Creative Entrepreneurs 2018/19 have now closed. If you'd like to be kept informed about next year's application cycle, please join our mailing list.